ASHEVILLE — In their first meeting since the Oct. 6 primary, the six finalists in the City Council election traded ideas and a few jabs in Friday's candidate forum sponsored by the Citizen-Times.

The forum, held in AB-Tech's Ferguson Auditorium, was the first since the narrowing of the field from 15 primary candidates. A total of 164 people, plus candidates and Citizen-Times staff members, attended.

Candidates continued to wrangle over a hotly contested piece of city-owned land downtown and whether it should be a park or a tax-revenue producing building that includes some public space. They also debated affordable housing issues, talked about under what circumstances they would raise taxes, and revisited the city's ban of renting out homes on a short-term basis to tourists. Jobs, public transit and policing improvements also took center stage.

The candidates in the Nov. 3 general election are environmental nonprofit director Julie Mayfield, financial adviser Rich Lee, deputy clerk of Buncombe County Superior Court Keith Young, LGBT advocacy group campaign manager Lindsey Simerly, Habitat for Humanity assistant manager Brian Haynes and Vice Mayor Marc Hunt.


“We are definitely a diverse community, but sometimes you don’t see that. We are hidden some times,” said Young, the only African-American candidate and a force behind the black youth empowerment group Hood Talk.

“We need to shape our vision moving forward that Asheville will include everyone from both sides of the tracks, from all walks of life, and that representation is broad and sweeping,” he said.

Young said that included single mothers, young people, old people, those who have to get up in the early morning to catch the bus and get there "two hours early."

“I want to be a voice for people, people of this city. Not just black people. Not just white people. Everyone. Rich, poor, young, old. All those folks deserve representation," he said. "And that is why I’m here, because I hear you. I hear when you speak. I hear when you say in East Asheville that our library is in shambles. I hear the folks who say we want green space protected. I hear you when you say affordability is an issue. Let’s act on it.”


"I hope one thing that can be taken away tonight is that I'm an experienced policymaker, collaborator, and I know when the time is right to fight on issues that matter to all of us," she said. "I'd be proud to be a representative from East Asheville. I'd also be proud to be the first openly LGBT City Council member."

"Back in 2011 when the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee started, one of our most clear goals was helping to elevate affordable housing as a community issue," said Simerly, who is chairwoman of that city committee. "At the time, it wasn't talked about very much. It wasn't seen as a critical issue for everyone in our community."

"One of the things I'm most proud of ... is the elevating that conversation." Not only did the six candidates talk about affordable housing, she said, but so did all 15 primary candidates. The city is thousands of units behind, but Simerly said she thinks the city can come together to cope with the problem.


"You might ask yourself why would a shy, introverted person like myself choose to run for public office. I did it because I felt compelled. I felt our city was going in the wrong direction. We've become a very pro-development city," Haynes said. The brother of popular musician Warren Haynes and former owner of the one-time downtown landmark music store Almost Blue, Haynes said the city isn't concerned enough with taking care of its residents.

"I feel like the most important role government can play is to improve the quality of life of its citizens, and the direction we are going right now, I don't see that happening," he said. "I think we need to take a pause on the pro-development and start to take care of the neighborhoods and people who work here."


Hunt, who retired from a land conservation nonprofit, listed issues that were talked about — and not — that were important. Those included poverty and education, open space, greenways and the environment, he said.

"Modernizing our transportation system, economic development, good paying jobs," Hunt said. "I'm very passionate about all these. And my passion reflects the interest of our community."

"I'd like to emphasize this is really hard work. Most of the work to change things comes before it is time to vote. It is about forming policy before it is time to vote. I realize that. So, that's why I get up every day, thinking what can I do to make the city better."

The fight over the potential park "threatens to divide us," he said. "If we want to take on challenges with Raleigh or our transportation system, we have to learn to trust each other better and work together. And the voices and forces in this community that are trying to split us apart over this issue need to back down."


The co-director of the environmental group MountainTrue said this was the important question to answer:

"As Asheville continues to grow, and we will continue to grow, how can we make sure to maintain that appeal for people who want to come here to visit and people who want to come here to live, but also how can that growth increase opportunity for the people who are already here?"

Mayfield, who is also chairwoman of the city's Transit Committee, said that could be answered in several ways. "First, we need to make sure that we are building a city that benefits the people who live here, not just the people who come here."

Secondly, the city needs to be more affordable, she said, and there are solutions that were talked about during the forum that would work. "The third is we need to build a transportation system that works for everyone," she said. "What I bring to this is 25 years as a public interest attorney and advocate focused on issues of environment, land use, transportation and advocating for inclusive decision making, fairness and justice."


"Our growth is outpacing our best efforts to steer it. And getting ahead of it is going to mean bringing the whole community together behind this idea that ... our diversity of people, our quality of life are our most valuable possessions," said Lee, who was active in the debate over New Belgium's impact on West Asheville and is a member of the city's Greenway Committee.

Taking care of different types of people in the community is "a measure of our fairness and our goodness as a society," he said. The city's diversity shows in the fact that "we're the home of Billy Graham and the drum circle. We're home to a historic black community," he said. "I believe that's how we've put forward so many entrepreneurs and so much creativity and so much art over the years."

"We talk a lot about what we want to do, but sometimes we don't talk about why. Why care about this being a city that has a place for everyone? Because it helps our bottom lines and makes us safer and better and more resilient. It makes us wiser."

Candidate stances some forum questions:

What to do with city property on Haywood Street

Lee: The city should take the lead in making it true a public space and park.

Hunt: Sell some of it for a building but also include public space that has green space. Just a park would mean raising taxes or cutting services such as affordable housing.

Mayfield: A park, if it can happen through private funding. Otherwise, work with nonprofits or other private organizations such as Public Interest Projects to develop a low-rise building with public space. Not a parking deck, high-rise or hotel.

Young: Selling the land to a private developer means residents lose their say in what happens to the property.

Simerly: Collect ideas and make a decision on something that incorporates a public plaza. Possibilities range from a small corporate headquarters to a university arts department.

Haynes: Supports a park. The cost will be less than the one estimate of more than $4 million. Volunteers and private investment can help pay costs.

How to improve jobs and wages

Young: Concentrate on what the city's doing right. Realize tourism is important but look for industry. Business incentives are OK, but they have to be beneficial to both parties in the long run.

Simerly: Back current 5x5 plan by Economic Development Commission of Asheville-Buncombe County to focus on quality not quantity of job creation. Continue to fight the state's attempt to take away the city water system, which is important for brewery and other industries.

Haynes: Invest in local businesses, don't give help or incentives to hotels owned by out-of-town corporations, such as city parking garage built under Aloft Hotel. Give incentives to local businesses.

Mayfield: Support economic development commission 5x5 plan, which is trying to bring 3,000 new jobs that pay an average of $50,000 a year by 2020.

Lee: Also supports 5x5 plan, which includes "angel investing" to raise capital to help many small businesses create a few jobs each instead of one big company to create a few hundred jobs.

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